Intro

Live streaming requires two things: powerful hardware and a skillful internet upload speed.

You lot tin can discover hardware that handles encoding for alive video (and playing video games simultaneously) in a smartphone or a decent figurer. Getting a good upload speed for streaming is trickier.

Before y'all outset calling your Isp to enquire about more bandwidth, you need to know what a proficient upload speed for streaming is. Unfortunately, there's no straightforward answer to this question.

A good upload speed allows you to stream the content yous want to the platform of your pick without whatever major issues. Information technology should also be capable of delivering your content at a quality that will not disadvantage you or make your stream less highly-seasoned than others.

Basically, anything between 672 kbps and 61.five Mbps is ideal.

A good upload speed for streaming is between 672 kbps and 61.5 Mbps

Not a bully answer, correct? There are some generally accepted values for proficient upload speeds, which are worth knowing. But we'll also dig a chip deeper to find a good upload speed for your particular live stream needs.

🤓 Understanding download/upload speeds

What exercise you think people do the near online? We know that the near popular website in the globe is Google. It'due south followed past YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. And then that's one search engine, an encyclopedia, two social networks, and a video platform/social network.

People consume content online. They seek it out, place information technology, so read, heed, or lookout information technology. To be able to practise that, their devices need to ingest information, which comes to them in the course of $.25. Your cyberspace connection's download rate shows you lot how many bits of data your computer or device tin can take in from the internet using that connexion. Usually, the rate (besides referred to equally bitrate) is expressed in millions of bits — or megabits — per second (Mbps).

It's your connection'due south upload rate that matters the almost.

When you create content and want to share information technology online, it'south your connection'due south upload rate that matters the most. It's the same every bit the download rate; it just works the other style around, showing how many bits of data you tin share per second. It'south also expressed in Mbps. Data shows that, globally, upload rates are slower than download rates.

👀 What is a good upload speed for streaming?

Streaming live video can take upwardly a lot of bandwidth. Just how much will depend on several factors. Encoding matters, but so does the type of content you desire to stream. Platforms play a part, as do the resolution (expressed in pixels, or p) and the frame charge per unit (frames per second, or fps) of your stream.

Say you desire to live stream a video of yourself interviewing someone. You're choosing between Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and Twitch. Since all these platforms back up live streaming video resolution of 720p, we'll use the bitrate recommendations from each platform:

  • Facebook Live recommends a max bitrate of 4,000 kbps, plus a max sound bitrate of 128 kbps.
  • YouTube Live recommends a range betwixt ane,500 and four,000 kbps for video, plus 128 kbps for sound.
  • Twitch recommends a range between ii,500 and 4,000 kbps for video, plus up to 160 kbps for audio.

If y'all're streaming live video at a resolution of 720p, at 30 frames per 2nd, you will upload up to 4,160 kilobits, or 4.sixteen Mbps, of data per second. So having an upload bandwidth of around four Mbps should comprehend you, right?

Not quite. You will need to upload upwards to 4,160 kilobits of data per 2d constantly. Because these speeds fluctuate, it'due south a good idea to have a 35% to 40% buffer. That puts us at an upload charge per unit of effectually five,700 kilobits per second, or v.seven Mbps. Notwithstanding, if you lot are sure your net connection is stable, such a buffer might not exist needed. Remember, a stable connection is every bit important as upload speed!

It's generally a good idea to have a 35% to 40% buffer

For various reasons, your ISP's declared upload bandwidth and the actual upload speed you can achieve with your connectedness can exist very unlike. That'southward why yous should e'er examination your upload speed using online speed tests. The number you get from these tests should be up to five.7 Mbps if you want to stream 720p video at 30 frames per 2nd.

Read later: The but multistreaming guide you'll always need 📍

💁‍♂️ The many variables affecting upload speed requirements

The 5.7 Mbps upload speed for 720p video at thirty frames per second is the upper limit. Yous can still live stream 720p video with a lower upload speed. If the whole video is a single shot of y'all talking, 4,000 kbps might exist too high of a bitrate. You would probably exist fine if y'all reduced it by half.

If, on the other manus, you want to stream video games or events with tons of visual information, 4,000 kbps is necessary. The faster the footstep of the visuals, the higher your bitrate should be. The type of content you stream affects what a practiced upload speed is for y'all.

Let'southward stay with video games. If you're streaming games with fast-paced action, you should ensure that your viewers see what'due south going on as clearly as possible. You might desire to stream at more than 30 frames per second.

Nonetheless, more frames per second requires a higher bitrate. For Twitch, it pushes the range for 720p video to betwixt 3,500 and five,000 kbps. YouTube Live recommends two,250 to 6,000 Kbps. When you factor in these requirements, that's a six.2 Mbps upload speed for Twitch and vii.4 Mbps for YouTube Live if you lot want to stream 720p video at threescore frames per second. Also, go on in mind that these are just the highest optimal values.

A good upload speed for your live streaming will vary from one platform to another.

On Facebook, beginning streamers tin only stream up to 720p video, so there's no demand to have more five Mbps. In lodge to alive stream Full Hd videos, yous need to apply for their Level Upwardly affiliate plan.

Twitch allows upward to 1080p video at threescore frames per second. You'll need an upload speed of up to 7.four Mbps to support that.

YouTube Live supports 4k alive streaming at 60 frames per second. It recommends a bitrate in the range of 20,000 to 51,000 kbps. You'd need an upload speed of 68.8 Mbps to pull that off. That's only above the average upload speed in the District of Columbia, the area with the highest median upload speed in the U.s..

Finally, your competitors might affect your upload speed requirements. Twitch and YouTube are crowded with streamers trying to use the platforms to generate income. If you're streaming too, yous cannot afford to fall backside on video quality. Better quality requires higher upload speeds, so the competition volition eventually push you to increase your upload rate.

🤩 What upload speeds should I exist aiming for?

With all these variables in heed, y'all shouldn't ask what a "good" upload speed is. Instead, it's better to ask which speed you should aim for in your circumstances.

Which bitrates and corresponding upload rates do the 3 major streaming platforms advise streamers to use? We'll segment by platform, resolution, and frames per second, where applicable.

Facebook Live:

  • Recommended max bitrate of 4,000 kbps for video.
  • Recommended sound bitrate is upward to 128 kbps.
  • Maximum resolution is 1080p, with lx frames reproduced per second. Aim for an upload speed of vi to 7 Mbps (although Facebook limits virtually accounts to 720p resolution).
  • For 720p video at thirty or sixty frames per 2d, aim for an upload speed of roughly 3 to four Mbps.

Twitch:

  • For 720p video at 30 frames per second, bitrate should be between 2,500 and 4,000 kbps. That requires upload speeds betwixt three.2 Mbps and 5 Mbps.
  • For 720p video at 60 frames per second, the bitrate should exist betwixt iii,500 and five,000 kbps. Required upload speeds are between four.iv Mbps and 6.2 Mbps.
  • For 1080p video at 30 frames per second, the bitrate should be 3,500 to 5,000 kbps – same every bit for 720p video at 60 fps. The required upload speeds are the same too, betwixt 4.4 Mbps and 6.2 Mbps.
  • For 1080p video at 60 frames per second, the recommended bitrate is between 4500 and 6000 kbps. The required upload speeds are betwixt 5.6 Mbps and 7.4 Mbps.

YouTube:

  • For 720p video at 30 frames per 2d, the range is i,500 to four,000 kbps. That'south an upload speed betwixt roughly ii Mbps and 5 Mbps.
  • For 720p video at lx frames per second, the range is 2,250 to half-dozen,000 kbps. Required upload speeds are between ii.ix Mbps and 7.4 Mbps.
  • For 1080p video at thirty frames per second, the bitrate range is 3,000 to 6,000 kbps. Required upload speeds are between 3.8 Mbps and vii.iv Mbps.
  • For 1080p video at 60 frames per second, the bitrate range is 4,500 to ix,000 kbps. In upload speeds, that ways between 5.6 Mbps and 11 Mbps.
  • For 1440p video at 30 frames per second, the bitrate range is vi,000 to xiii,000 kbps. That's between 7.four Mbps and 15.8 Mbps in recommended upload speeds.
  • For 1440p video at sixty frames per second, the range is 9,000 to 18,000 kbps. In upload speeds, that'south betwixt 11 Mbps and 21.8 Mbps.
  • If you really want to live stream 4k video, doing it at 30 frames per second will require a bitrate between 13,000 and 34,000 kbps. In terms of upload speed, that'southward 15.8 Mbps and 41 Mbps.
  • To stream 4k video at 60 frames per 2d, the recommended bitrate range is twenty,000 to 51,000 kbps. You'll need an upload speed betwixt 24.2 Mbps and 61.5 Mbps.

As you tin can see, YouTube offers the highest-quality alive streaming. Facebook is the near accessible, while Twitch is all the same the gamer'due south oasis.

What is a good upload speed for streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch?

👉 How to go a good upload speed for streaming

Computing your desired upload speed is one thing, but getting access to that speed is something completely different.

The upload speed you can accomplish depends on the service packages your ISP offers. For residential users, the download speed will always be higher than the upload speed. The best manner to get symmetry between the two is to sign upward for a business-level service if possible. Information technology will guarantee you the Internet service provider's declared upload speed at any time. This, in plow, provides stability and reliability to ensure smooth live streams.

In terms of sheer speed, the expert news is that net connections are becoming faster across the lath. Technologies such every bit cobweb-optic internet are bringing higher speeds to your workplace or home — if fiber is offered in your area, that is.

So, the showtime pace in obtaining a good upload speed for streaming is to switch to an Internet access provider that offers the speed yous need. Exist prepared to pay more than for more speed, though. Too, make certain y'all inquire around virtually the quality of their service.

If you're stuck with a provider that offers suboptimal speeds, you can still practise a couple of things to better your state of affairs:

  • Get a wired connection. Your WiFi might be great when it comes to watching YouTube videos on your smartphone or checking social media. But when live streaming, a wired connection with an ethernet cable is better. It gives you less interference and more stability, which leads to amend stream quality.
  • Remove excess devices from your network. You don't desire your internet connection to be crowded when you start streaming. Don't let whatever other device hog your upload speed, and disconnect them from your network or turn off their WiFi capabilities during your stream.
  • Shut excess programs and apps on your computer. The just thing that should be uploading when you stream is your encoder. Peer-to-peer networking has probably ruined its fair share of live streams, then expect until y'all're off the air.
  • Apply cloud-based multistreaming. Multistreaming, or streaming live to several platforms at the same time, is incredibly useful for content creators. It helps reach new audiences, saves time, and offers great tools from various platforms. Unfortunately, it tin too be demanding on your CPU and bandwidth. To deal with information technology, apply a cloud-based multistreaming service to bear some of that load.
  • Remove malware; use advert blockers and privacy tools. Malware, ads, and online tracking tin use up some of your upload bandwidth. Remove, stop, or block any of these speed-leeching undesired programs.
  • Use up-to-engagement software and hardware. Old drivers tin tiresome your computer downwardly, and old modems can clogging your upload speed. Make sure your hardware and software are up to the task of streaming live video.

🔥 How to stream with a low upload speed

With Restream Events, you can bypass the upload speed inconveniences. How? Our feature allows yous to upload your pre-recorded videos, schedule them, and set them to become live after every bit if they were regular streams. With this method, your upload speed doesn't affair. After you upload your video, Restream will broadcast it at the scheduled fourth dimension automatically, and so y'all don't even have to exist online.

Learn more than 👉 Restream Events: Everything yous demand to know

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Conclusion

As a live video streamer, the quality of your content will depend on the quality of your broadcast. That's a fact. You can take the best skills in the most pop games, or the best banter, or the greatest sense of sense of humor. But if people can't see and hear you well, they're not going to stick around to watch your stream.

Upload speeds tin can significantly bear on the quality of your broadcasts. Utilize a connectedness with enough upload speed for the type of content you broadcast.

Remember, you shouldn't become for the highest possible upload speed by default. You simply need information technology if you're planning to stream at a very high bitrate. A good upload speed is the one that'due south appropriate for your goals.